Fire-escape



(No Model.)

- W. L. DOUGHER TY.

EIEE ESCAPE, v No. 438,575. 4 Patented 001;. 14, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM L. DOUGHERTY, OF DARLINGTON, WISCONSIN.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,537 5, datedOctober 14, 1890.

Application filed May 12, 1888. Serial No. 273,909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM LOGUE DOUGH- ERTY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Darlington, in the county of La Fayette and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fire-escapes; and its object is to provide ameans of escaping from burning buildings that, shall be portable,capable of being stowed away in a small space, always ready for use,proof against burning off or breaking, readily understood, suitable foruse by ladies and children, and available by firemen or other personsfor mounting to the assistance of those in danger.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention.

It consists of a metallic chain composed of alternate short links A andlong links B. The links are made, preferably, from round quarter-inchiron rod, the long ones being about fifteen inches in length, whichisaconvenient size for transportation. At each end of the links B is an eye17, by which it is flexibly united to the adjacent links A, or, in caseof the upper link, to a hook, staple, or other fastening secured to thefloor, window-frame, or other suitable object. The links A are eachcomposed of a single piece of metal doubled on itself twice at cg a toform along narrow or closed loop, the ends of the rod lying near themiddle of theloop. One of these ends is considerably the longer, so thatit can be bent at right angles to the length of the loop and carried upin front of the loop, turned into an eye a, then carried down behind theloop and formed into anothereye a, and then brought up and terminated atthe middle of the loop near the other end of the rod. The eyes a a arethus arranged in a vertical plane, while the arms of the loop projectlaterally three or four inches on each side of the same.

WVhen the chain is suspended ready for use, the loops stand out likecross-bars, serving as handles and foot-rests, upon which one candescend or mount, as on a ladder. The weight of the chain coming on theeyes a a tends to keep them in a vertical plane and serves to steady theladder.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent,

1. A fire-escape consisting of a chain composed of alternate long andshort links, the latter having arms projecting on each side of thecentral line of the chain, substantially as described.

2. A fire-escape consisting of a chain composed of alternate long andshort links, each consisting of a single piece of material, the shortlinks comprising a transverse loop forming arms on each side of thechain, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the straight links B, having an eye I) at eachend, of the links A, each comprising two eyes a a, arranged in avertical plane, and a long narrow loop extending transversely to saidplane, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. DOUGI-IERTY.

Witnesses:

EDWARD H. OoNLEY, J. F. MOGINLEY.

